So Much History in Just One Decade
It’s hard to know where to even start with the ‘80s. With so much incredible music and unforgettable events, just about everyone has a story to tell. While we can’t cram every one in this list, we did pick a few select experiences people still talk about.
1. Princess Diana and Prince Charles Wed
In what was perhaps one of the biggest televised events, Princess Diana and Prince Charles had their iconic wedding in St. Paul’s Cathedral in London in 1981. Nearly one billion people tuned in, and the UK declared a national holiday so people could watch.
Elke Wetzig (Elya) on Wikimedia
2. Pac-Man Debuts
Who knew that adorable little wakkka-wakka sound would become synonymous with one of the biggest video games of all time? Pac-Man made its first appearance in 1980, becoming so successful that 100,000 arcade units were sold in its first year and a half on the market.
3. Bob Marley Passes
A lot of beloved musicians lost their lives in the ‘80s, but one of the most tragic was Bob Marley. He lost his life in 1981 after developing skin cancer, which eventually started to spread. He was only 36 years old.
4. The Canada Act
On March 25, 1992, Canada finally broke free from the UK to become an independent country. They could officially pass parliamentary law without the British parliament’s approval. The paperwork was signed by Queen Elizabeth II and Pierre Elliot Trudeau.
5. Nintendo Launches the Game Boy
Pac-Man was far from the only feat in video games. What seems like archaic technology now was revolutionary in 1989: the Game Boy! Initially, only a few hundred thousand units were sold, but it quickly became one of the best-selling consoles of all time.
